The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-11
The Splendid Opportunity Befor
the Mississippi Legislature.
Why that Body Should Consult the
Workingmen of the State.
All OF Which Is Respectfully Submitted
for the Help It May Give in Solv-
ing Hard Problem That
Must Be Solved.

The Mississippi Legislature, which will
meet next month, will have TO address it.
self TO the question OF abolishing the con-
vict leasing system. Public sentiment de-
mands this. That the system has been
productive Of evil no one has now the
hardihood to deny. Reports of juries, in
Bpectors and committees have condemned
ii. Brutality, extortion, cupidity and
bloodshed have marked It's operation.
"God will never smile upon u State that
treats her convicts as Mississippi does, Z"
said the grand jury OF Kinds county. But
the people OF Mississippi are not at fault.
Now that the denominations OF the system
have been thoroughly exposed, they de-
Inand its immediate abolition and the sub
stitution Of wiser and more humane
method Of dealing with convicts. 1t is for
fhe Legislature TO meet that demand. In
deed, it may be said that the Mississippi
Legislature has an opportunity OF inau-
gurating reform and setting. an example
of intelligent legislation which will
mark the State as a leader among
the STATES OF the Union in the great move
ment OF prison reform which, though long
in progress, has been 80 slow in the
achievement Of practical bettermenis. OF
MI the systems that have been tried by
the various governments Of the world,
that OF leasing the convicts in mass j., by
the general opinion, declared TO be the
worst. The reason OF this ia plain. When
the labor OF convicts is leased 10 one indi.
vidual, firm or corporation, a direct appeal
j. made TO the cupidity OF the lessee His
! profits depend upon the amount Of work
that he can force from each individual
convict. II may seem 10 some that CON
siderate treatment Of the wretches would
jnure TO the ,lessee's advantage, but il is
10 be remembered that the labor Of each
convict can only be had for the time Of
his sentence, and that the lessee is not
interested in his ability TO work beyond
that time lie can, therefore, afford to
press him nj his tasks until ne succumbs
from exhaustion. The history OF the
system, wherever tried, shows that
this cruel policy OF oyer-exaction has
invariably characterized the admins
traiion Of these lcssees. Cupdity IL one
Of the basest OF passions, and once an
individual surrcndcu himself thereto his
whole nature becomes bruiaiizcd. Under
o system which develops all that is basc
in men who undertake lis execution he
fate Of the convict Is most dcploriblc.
The principle Of reformation is wholly dis
regarded, and he leaves the prison either
n physical wreck, 30 become n public
charge In the alns-houscs, or an lshmael-
iie full Of vengeance. The system is cs-
sentially and exclusively penal, and penal
labor as q method Of employing conyicts
has been discarded almost universally.
industrial labor, with incidental discipline
and influences Of n rcfouna,ory sort, Is
now accepted ~ the wiser plan. The
labor that conyicis do under the lease sys-
TEN Is essentially pcnal-almost MS much
10 ne that Of the ucad.mill-bccausc the
convict participates TO no extent in the
results OF his labor. Good work neither
lightens his task nor bctiels his condition
in any way IL is simply so far a. he Is
concerned Individually, grinding the
air."
PRISON LABOR ~ VARIOUS COUNTRIES.
In the year 1872 IN international Prison
congress WIS held in London. Theidca oi
such n congress was conceived originally
by DR.. T.. &. Wines, who was one Of the
viscst md most devoted Of that illusirious
group Of phianthropists who have done 70
much 90 correct abuses In the manage
ment Of prisons the world over. AZ that
congress all The great nations Of the world
wcrc ably represented, and n record Of the
proceedings hns been preserved In the
form Of o report by DR.. Wines, rs the
United States commissioner, 30 the Pr J.
dent At the congress each nation rel tc-
scented reported the system II had adopted,
and from the reports NJ 10 the method Ol
employing conyicts the following points
have been culcd by the writer
IL AUSTRIA. pcnai labor does not exist con
adorable variety II tnidcs 4 punuod The ~
tenn oi hlfug 9 labor OF prisoner % Couimrinr.
: prcicfrcd The contract ..sicin ! pteigncd 90
teo rrsspng til Bcnuse u prevents l1ss and dam.
Hgc. hnd on bonufr ID enables The onlccns 90 de-
note theusclycs eniIrcly 30 what u deemed their
sslRs. a sd 'Ie S Ss \ ,snlss sa
fciCutly long timo. Iains arc taken ~ guide the
prlsopcr IN ludglnr Of bis own cnpa,ly, that ~ h.
"
earn IN honest living.
Is DrSNAnE. NO distinction T. made between
penal and Industrial labor. Tho contact system I.
in uso II !. rimried ~ the tcst. both economical
ly aud with mani 60 rrfofmatoy effect Inter
modelling by contractors With the treatment 81 pris
oncn Is completely cut o. Labor IL rcganicd moi
fncruly sourtc ~ revenue but rather ~ on ~
srutial condition Of the due execution II tho nrn
icnoo aud q necc.sAry agent In the moral ngcn
craion Of The prisoner.
IL BEigiuu Penal labor ~ distinguished from
Industrial doe, not exist In the prisnus Of Bclgum
Thirty industrial OCCUPATIONS are punuCd. II Il
held that labor ought not 20 be Imposed ~ = pua
fahmcnL sinco the frst necessity 81 man 4 labor
s5pd The lri enlimeut 10 bc developed IN him 4
taa love OF labor Two systems Of labor prevail
namely. that VI leiilng the labor " contraction aud